Should We First Retire Before Smelling The Roses?
Ever smell a cup of freshly brewed coffee with eyes closed in anticipation of the first delicious sip, instead of gulping the hot brew in a hurry due to a deadline?
Two and a half years ago, when the CEO of the company I worked for announced that I was “retiring”, our multi-country staff sent me their hearty best wishes.
Time to smell the roses, they said. Now you can enjoy watching the Great British Bake-Off, one other executive messaged me.
But retirement was far from my mind when I resigned. I have not reached retirement age, anyway, as per policy in the country of our company HQ. And must I mention that I’m no follower of the bake-off TV series?
The idea of smelling the roses, however, was part of what I had in mind when I filed my resignation. Almost a decade of immersive work in the media intelligence business could wear out one’s dedication.
There were also the book projects I relegated to the back burner before I reinvented myself, and joined an exciting sunrise industry.
My aim in quitting was to pick up where I’ve left off my writing projects, that is, after a brief stint in “smelling the roses”.
It was necessary for me to recover first from a stressful decade of learning, more learning, endless learning, and 24/7 deadlines.
But should we retire first from our job before taking time to relish life and cherish what’s in-between?
That is the question, indeed, which fellow workaholics should contemplate on.
The hard lesson I learned in relation to the above is this: the act of smelling the roses should not be put off and be taken up seriously only upon retirement or after quitting one’s job.
Being able to provide well for our loved ones, while essential, is not the be-all and end-all of life. Time for our loved ones is important, very true.
But time for one’s self is crucial to our physical and mental health.
For how could we enjoy a life that is well-lived if we do not find time to smell the roses between working hard?
How we smell the roses is a personal choice
There is an infinite list of how we may smell the roses, or taking a break in our busy lives to appreciate people, events, nature, and each and every facet of our experiences including the food and drink we consume.
(Try smelling a cup of freshly brewed coffee, eyes closed as we anticipate that first delicious sip instead of gulping the coffee in a hurry to meet a deadline.)
For me, smelling the roses means focusing on being grateful for everything that life has offered and is currently offering now and in the future.
It is putting a spotlight, in my heart, on gratefulness towards people — family, friends, colleagues, even the ones that have made a passing significance and insignificance— who have made my life more interesting, if not more arduous.
Smelling the roses also includes my contemplation on not only the triumphs and achievements in life, but also — and especially — the challenges and heartbreaks that gave me more strength.
We should take time to smell the roses every so often.
We should not put it off until after retirement, or resignation, or the very worst, when advanced age and its attendant frailties have dulled our senses in appreciating life.
What about you? How do you smell the roses?
